Apparatus for use in the production of steel.



PATENTED JAN. 2'7 1903.

1. 0. WILLS. APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE PRODUCTION OF STEEL.

APILIOATION FILED JULY 11, 1901.

N0 MODEL.

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llNTThn STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

EDIVIN COOPER WILLS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE PRODUCTION OF STEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,404, dated January 27, 1903.

Application filed July 11,1901. 'Serial No. 67,862. (No model.)

To and whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN COOPER WILLS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Use in the Production of Steel, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in apparatus for use in the production of steel, and has for an object, among others, to provide means for use in connection with a suitable receptacle, which may be an ordinary ironfoundry ladle, by which to convert the contents of such receptacle into steel by the introduction of air by means 'of a telescopic twyer whose discharge end is introduced into the receptacle in the manner more fully described, an outlet being so located that the metallic particles which are forced ofi by the twyer-blast will be caused to strike against the roof or top produced by the lid or cover, so the latter will operate as a baffie to cause the particles to drop back into the molten metal.

The invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of my apparatus. Figs. 2 and 3 show difierent forms of twyer-nozzles. Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a somewhat-different construction of receptacle for codperation with the twyer-nozzle. Fig. 5 shows a still different construction of receptacle. Fig. i is a detail sectional view on about line 4 4B of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 illustrates a construction in which the twyer nozzle is introduced through the side of the receptacle.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the receptacle A is in the general form of an ordinary iron-foundry ladle having a handle A, and the lid B is applied to such ladle to form a cover therefor and is provided with an opening B, through which the twyer-nozzle is introduced, and such lid also has an outlet B which is preferably located at one side of the lid and remote from the opening B, through which the twyer-nozzle is introduced. The twyer is shown as composed of the sections 0 and O, the latter being telescoped at O in the section 0 and being provided with the depending portion 0 which forms a discharge-nozzle and which is passed through the opening B in the lid B and dips in operation in the molten metal within the receiver A. It is preferred to telescope the sections 0 and 0, because thereby I am able to readily adjust the discharge end or nozzle in connection with receptacles of different heights, and its adjustment may also be desirable in securing the discharge of air at different heights within the receptacle, as may be desirable in different processes. It will also be understood that the section O of the twyer may be stationary or it may be portable, as desired. It will also be understood where desired the telescopic feature of the twyer might be omitted and the ladle be moved up and down to secure the desired-location of the nozzle within the ladle; but I prefer the telescopic construction of the twyer, because of the facility with which the desired adjustment may be effected by the aid of such con struction.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the discharge end or nozzle of the twyer is exposed on all sides to the action of the heat within the receptacle. It may be desirable in some instances to provide the receptacle in its inner side with a groove or channel at D, as shown in Fig. 4, and to form the discharge end or nozzle to fit in such channel D, as shown at E in Fig. 4:. In this construction it willbe noted only one side of the dischargenozzle will be exposed to the molten metal, and that in this construction shown in Fig. 4 the lid is provided with an opening at D for the introduction of the twyer and with the remote outlet D so the discharge of the metallic particles will be baffled by the lid or cover, as before described in connection with the constructions shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 5 instead of arranging the twyer to dip in the body of' the ladle or receptacle I form the latter with a channel F in one side, extending. from its top and opening into the interior of the ladle at a point below the surface of the molten metal, and the discharge nozzle of the twyer is simply arranged at f to communicate with the upper end of the channel F. This construction shown in Fig.

5 is also supplied with the lid or cover, through which the twyer opens, and with a dischargeopening F similar to the discharges B and D before described.

By my invention I am able to provide a steel-producing apparatus which can be conveniently used in connection with any suitable receptacle for the molten metal, which receptacle may be an ordinary foundry-ladle or may be specially constructed, as may be desired or to suit any special combinations.

In the constructions as before described the twyer extends through an opening in the lid or cover; but in Fig. 6 I show the dischargenozzle of the twyer extending through the side of the receptacle directly into the interior thereof.

In Fig. 1 and as may be preferred there is illustrated a plurality or series of ladies so arranged that each receptacle will receive the molten metal discharged from the preceding one through a discharge pipe or nozzle G, extending from the primary receptacle, which may be slightly elevated, as shown, to discharge into the secondary receptacle, (shown at the left of the receptacle A in Fig. 1,) the primary receptacle being so constructed as to permit the supply of metal thereto from time to time as may be necessary, which supply may be eifected through a suitable opening in the lid, as indicated in dotted lines at H in Fig. 1, or otherwise, as desired. In the use of ladles in series I may provide twyers in connection with each ladle, (see the dottedline twyer C in Fig. 1,) and all or any of such twyers may be used. or not, as desired. It will also be understood that in some instances it may be desired to provide two or more twyers to each ladle, and they may be used simultaneously or successively, as desired. In passing the steel from one ladle to another it may be simply poured off from the top or may be drawn through suitable outlets arranged at the upper end of the receptacle or otherwise, as desired, and in some instance may be taken directly from the bottom of the ladle.

Manifestly the special form of lid or cover may be varied without departing from the principle of my invention.

In the practice of my invention in the form of a continuous process, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the metal may be passed from ladle to ladle in any suitable manner and from the upper or lower portion of any ladle to any desired portion of any succeeding ladle.

In the use of my invention it may be desirable in some instances to draw off a portion of the contents of the ladle from time to time and supply fresh metal as required, and

metals, slags, and additions can be introduced at any stage of the process.

In practice the ladle can be lined with a refractory material.

Instead of forming the discharge end of the twyer as shown in Fig. 1 it may be flared, as shown in Fig. 2, or made square, as shown in Fig. 3, whenever desired.

The purpose of the series of convertingladles is to insure a more cleansing and refining process, as well as a continuous one. The metal being treated in the vessels or ladles as it passes through same leaves the refuse in the first vessels or ladles, thereby giving a clean metal, to which additions may be made as occasion requires. Also by provision of the series of ladles or vessels molten unrefined iron can be added to the first ladles or vessels and the last of the series of ladles can be used to pour the refined metal into molds or to carry same to various departments, as may become necessary. Further, by adding suflicient silicon and carbon to the metal, together with the addition of air by means of the twyers, as set forth, I am able to get sufficient heat to burn out impurities in the first ladles or vesselsof the series.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination in an apparatus for use in the production of steel, of a plurality of ladies in series, means whereby the metal may be discharged from one ladle to the next and so on, lids or covers for such ladles, and twyers discharging to the several ladles, substantially as described.

2. The apparatus herein described, comprising the series of ladles, spouts delivering the material from each ladle to the succeeding one, said spouts opening through the body of the succeeding ladle, twyers discharging into the several ladies, and lids for the ladles having outlet-openings remote from the twyeropenings, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in an apparatus for use in the production of steel of a plurality of receptacles provided each in advance of thelast with means whereby its contents may be discharged to the succeeding receptacle, and twyer devices for said receptacles, said twyer devices being adjustable independently of each other whereby the supply of air to the different receptacles may be regulated independently substantially as set forth.

EDWIN COOPER WILLS.

Witnesses:

F. J. DEVLIN, IRENE ANDERSON. 

